Fireproof safe



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

GREGOR MENZEL, OF MILWAUKEE, VISGONSIN.

FIREPROOF SAFE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,997, dated April 24, 1860.

To atl whom at may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnneon MENZEL, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Fire and Burglar Proof Safe; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the peculiar' construction of re and burglar proof safes. The most serious objections to safes heretofore in use has been their liability to destruction by falling from height, and the impossibility of rendering the seams about the door impervious to heat, water, and steam, particularly so on large safes where the door has to be double. These and other objections applicable to the present mode of making safes, I have obviated by constructing mine in a cylindrical shape, with convex top and bottom P, thus securing the greatest possible gross strength, and by making the interior E, to revolve upon a pivot L, bringing a smooth, impenetrable surface of iron entirely across the outer opening, with no visible inlet, or seam. Between this inner compartment E, and the outer cylinder B, is an air chamber C, extending completely around, leaving no connection between the two structures but the pivots L upon which the inner one revolves. This is an advantage in itself of great importance, but the simple feature of making the inside safe E, movable, so that when the outer door A, is opened its surface prevents the appearance as the whole safe were a solid mass-is the most important of all, and when unlocked and pushed around brings the door D, to view, which is lined with rubber T, so that no smoke, steam or water can penetrate inside, when the door D, is unlocked, brings the divisions Gr, for books, drawers H, vault K, and pigeon holes I, to view, the stand F, which contains them is also movable and revolves on pivots M, and when pushed around brings another lot of divisions Gr, for books, drawers H, and pigeon holes I, to view, this makes it double the capacity of square safes. Not only does this plan present greater resistance to iire on account of the sheets of iron can not bend from the filling, and of there being no contact of the inner with the outer surfaces, except at the pivots L, where the filling R, and S, is made purposely thicker, but the formidable bulging front of the'within surface, without visible seam or orifice, when turned about so as to close the opening must be equally obnoxious to burglar-s.

The form of this safe is more symmetrical and durable than the old style, is susceptible of higher ornamentation, and is from the very nature of the case, easier of transportation-as it can be rolled about like a barrel.

To enable others skilled in the art, to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its cconstruction and operation* Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the center of the safe, Fig. 2, is a front view of the safe, Fig. 3, is a vertical cross section through the center of the safe, except the rotary double book stand F, Fig. l is a horizontal section through the safe at the top, Fig. 5 is a top view of the safe, Fig. G is a horizontal section through the safe at the bottom.

Letter A is the door in the outside cylinder B, C is an air chamber between the outer cylinder B, and completely around the inner cylinder E, to prevent the conducting of heat from cylinder B, to E.

Letter D, is the door in cylinder E, which shuts against the rubber T, so that no heat, smoke, steam or water can penetrate inside to the double rotary book stand F, in which the divisions G, for book, drawers I-I, pigeon holes I, and the vault door J, which leads to vault K, are located, and revolve on the pivots M, so that all can be made visible.

L are pivots on which cylinder E, revolves, so that door D, when shut can be pushed to the back, and fastened by lock O, bringing a smooth, impenetrable surface of iron entirely across the outer door A.

Letters II are knobs fastened to cylinder E to turn cylinder E, by, and will prevent cylinders E and B, to come in contact, and thereby destroy air chamber, in case the pivots L should bend or break, by falling from a height, in a burning building.

O is a lock to prevent cylinder E from turning when the door D, is pushed to the back, and locked will' also resist the burglar the same as the locks on doors A and D.

Letters P 'are the convex tops and bottoms. They will in this shape stand a heavier fall, and will not bend from the falling like a, flat plate.

Q are rollers for the safe to stand on.

R is the filling in door A and cylinder B.

S is the filling in door D and cylinder E.

Letter T, is the rubber to form an air tight joint between door D and cylinder E, to prevent any heat, smoke, steam or water from penetrating inside.

U are projections on top and bottom of cylinder B, so that the safe can be rolled about like a barrel without coming in contact with hinges V or knob W. l X is an air chamber which surrounds the book stand F.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-- y A y l. The revolving book-stand F within the revolving` cylinder E and the outer cylinder B there being an air space X between the book-stand and cylinder E and between the two cylinders B and E & the parts named being constructed and arranged as set forth.

2. I claim the convex top and bottom P, P of the outer cylinder in combination with the projections V thereon for the purposes described.

GREGOR MENZEL.

Witnesses:

CHAS. C. MAYER, L. HEICKE. 

